What If?
by CDsOnTheWall
Summary: What if Clare was the director for Love Roulette instead of Fiona? What will become of them when Eli goes off mid-play? Based off episode 1121 Extraordinary Machine .


_**What if…**_

_**What if at the play, Clare was the director instead of Fiona? What would happen when she has to take Imogen's place on stage? Influenced by Extraordinary Machine 1 & 2.**_

_Tonight is the night…. _I thought subconsciously. I was **so** not ready to do this. Imogen failed to show up to Love Roulette's opening night, which only pissed me off more. I had a tough time dealing with Eli and his stupid on and off stability crisis. I could only see Eli playing with a lighter, which made a little self-aware. Walking up to him, I snatched it from his hand from behind and tossed it on a table. "Clare… I was using that." His raspy, deep voice sounded so angered, so lost. I cannot believe how angry he could be. "Where is Imogen? We're about to go on! If she doesn't show up… this whole play is ruined!" I shout. Silently, he glares at me and then back at his lighter. What the hell was he thinking about? "I guess it fails." Those 4 words broke me, Eli used to be such a strong persistent person. Now? He was just a big, useless lump that denied any emotion. "Alright, well, I'm going to have to go on." His head shot up, a shocked face. I was shocked too, but I tried not to show it. "I told you, I am _**not **_letting this play go down without a fight. I don't care if I have to read the script on stage." I spoke, clenching the clipboard in my hand. I walked away, peeling off my tight striped jacket and went for Clara's floral dress in the back, and Eli owes me.

"Thanks for coming; I just… don't like how we left things." Eli said, as Ari. I stared sweetly, like the script told me to. "Me neither." I say, watching as his hand shake. He is having meltdown? No, not here! He continued to stay silent, and my body was beginning to give away and just walk off stage to my loving bed and forget all about this, but alas, it never happened. "Maybe we should go away." I said Eli's part, hoping the audience would just go with it. He looked at me angrily. "That's my line. You're not following the script." I looked out at the audience, who watched with worrisome eyes. "Well, neither are you, Ari." To my surprise, the crowd finds this funny and laughs. At least they are still riding with this… "Come on, just read the script, the play is almost over." "NO! I'm not reading the script, there is no script, and you can't write your life!" He suddenly shouted, scaring me. I reached out to touch him, but he got up quickly, facing the audience. "No matter how much all of you want a happy ending, **you can't have it!** I tried to write one, but it's impossible. I rewrote and rewrote, but things kept _changing_. And I hurt people and I...I knew they were hurt, but I didn't _stop_. Because your mind _tricks_ you. It _TRICKS_ you into thinking that things are fine, they're not fine. _Nothing_ is fine. It's all **wrong**!" He shouted. I flinched again, holding onto the bench I sat on for support. He turned toward me, and my heart stopped. "...I'm all wrong... That's it... There's no happy ending." That was it. Elijah Goldsworthy had cracked. He finally had enough. He needed to release. Why here? Because every single person who hurt him was in this audience. Jake, Bianca, Even Fitz and Imogen showed up. But I? I was the biggest one yet. I had broken him. More than once, Vegas Night, that night at the hospital, Above the Dot, and earlier today, when he approached me and told me he wanted us to get back together…

"_**I have to be the guy you fell in love with-""I ALSO BROKE UP WITH THAT GUY!" I shouted over him. He stopped, his body backing away slightly. My outburst must've really scared him. "We…are NEVER getting back together!" **_

Eli snatched the script from me and ripped out the lighter I stole from him from his pocket. _No, Eli! _ He raised the script up to eye level, and lit the lighter to full flame, where he gently let the flame graze the bottom of the paper, and instantly, it was on fire. I don't know why I didn't get up to stop him as he dropped it to the ground. He sunk to his knees, catching a sympathetic glance from his as well. "Lights!" I yelled. I saw Imogen standing next to the big spotlight, she quickly turned it off. The sound of the cackling flame was beginning to die down, but to be sure, I walked over and put it out. Ms. Dawes locked eyes with me, and she stood up, clapping. Wait, why is she clapping…? Than Bullfrog and CeCe began to clap, and more and more, until the entire audience was clapping for Eli's performance. Jake and Fitz even stood. Fitz stood next to Reverend Greg. He smiled at me and Eli, and I immediately turned away.

Later on, I was caught in a position of painful proportions. Eli stood with me, as we discussed the whole play. I, standing in Clara's outfit still, smiled at him while he explained his emotions on stage. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his emeralds. He was just so…beautiful. But, we couldn't be together. Not after tonight, he needs time to heal. "Eli?" A small voice whispered. Eli and I turned, where Fitz now stood. Eli waited for Fitz to say anything, and I stood protectively next to him, knowing I was Fitz's weakness. But Fitz never looked at me, just directly at Eli. With a smile, he patted Eli's shoulder, making him shake a little. "Ha, awesome play dude. You killed it." Eli froze. Did those words just come out of Mark's mouth? "Bye?" Eli said, Fitz walked away, but waved back at him. Okay…. "So, Eli, where do I stand in your life now?" I smirked. He of course, smirked back. "Are you stealing my signature, Edwards?" I chuckled and he put his arm around me. "You're my best friend. You always have been and you always will be. Misfits forever?" He held his fist out for me to bump. "God, do you ever grow up?" I smiled and wiggled out of his hold, walking towards Adam. "Never, Ms. Edwards."

**A/N: How'd you like that? Now, before this happens again, this is an ONESHOT! I will NOT continue it. IT IS A ONE TIME THING! This has happened twice already. Lol, but they turned into pretty good stories, not my best, but pretty good. So yeah, this is what I came up with in less than 24 minutes, written in 24 minutes, and edited in those 24 minutes. Amazing. **

**-Toodles! **


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